Francis S. Read
Montana GenWeb Archives 
May be copied for non-profit purposes. 

Francis S. Read, now a resident of Helena, has been 
identified with Montana since 1866. Following is a 
brief sketch of his life: Francis S. Read was born 
in Stanford, Lincoln County, Kentucky, December 27, 1840, 
his parents also being natives of that State. When he 
was six months old he was taken by them to Platte 
County, Missouri, where they settled and where he 
was reared and educated, remaining there until he 
was twenty years of age. During the civil war young 
Read was forfour years in the Confederate service, 
under General Price. He was promoted from a private 
to the rank of Second Lieutenant, and was in command 
of his company in one battle in which he was severely 
wounded. When the war ended, Mr. Read was mustered out 
at St. Louis, in April 1865, and returned to his home 
in Platte County.There he remained until the spring of 
the following year, when he came to Montana. His first 
location here was on a ranch in the Prickly Pear 
Valley, near Helena. Subsequently he removed to 
Cascade County, where he still has extensivestock 
interests and valuable ranch property in the 
Chestnut Valley. He is also largely interested 
in Helena real estate, having erected numerous 
residences in the east part of the city, where 
his family reside, their home being on Eighth 
Avenue. He spends his winters with them and his 
summers on his stock ranch in Cascade County. Mr. 
Read was married in Montana, October 27, 1869, to 
Miss Laura T. Thoroughman, and they have five 
daughters and one son, all at home. He and his 
family are prominent and active workers in the 
Christian Church, and he is alsoa member of the 
A.O. U. W. 

USGenWeb Project NOTICE: 
In keeping with our policy of providing free information on 
the internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as
long as this message remains on all copied 
material. These electronic pages may not be reproduced in 
any format forprofit, nor for commercial presentation by any other organization. 

Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for 
purposes other than as stated above, must obtain express writtenpermission from the author, or the submitter and from 
the listed USGenWeb Project archivist.